“We’re technically not allowed to be called the dance team. We’re officially the pompom team. There is thinking that since we’re a military school, it’s almost wrong to have a dance team.” Alicia Quaco, Air Force junior. Quaco, above center, and the rest of the team perform at a recent game against Utah

AIR FORCE ACADEMY — As with any good drill instructor, Ashley Maddox occasionally steps back and watches to see that her squad is in step.

But she isn’t looking at their feet.

“I consider what might be the reaction because we shook our butts a little bit in that dance,” said Maddox, a senior cadet at the Air Force Academy. “As the team captain, I’ll step out and watch. I might notice things we might change so we don’t seem too risque.”

The Air Force pep dance team brings dedication to duty, but with a demure wink, and a purpose of adding typical college exuberance to the basketball games in Clune Arena.

But their institution isn’t run on typical college standards. From its beginning four years ago, the Air Force dance team has faced the challenge of meeting stricter discipline and the desired proper image of the military environment.

“I was nervous about authorizing a dance team,” said athletic director Hans Mueh, when looking back to a presentation by cheerleader coach Laura Hutcheon. “I was concerned that we potentially would present an image to the public that we didn’t want. I was concerned about the uniforms. I’d seen dance teams from other colleges, and their uniforms appeared to be right out of Hollywood.

“But today, I’d put our dance team up against any in the country. When people come up to me and say, ‘Wow, are those ladies cadets?’ I take that as a compliment.”

There remain some hangups.

“We’re technically not allowed to be called the dance team,” junior Alicia Quaco said. “We’re officially the pompom team. There is thinking that since we’re a military school, it’s almost wrong to have a dance team.”

Hutcheon, wife of Air Force baseball coach Mike Hutcheon and once a cheerleader at Mississippi State, lobbied to add a dance team. At the time, Air Force had a 10-couple cheerleading squad and a JV cheerleading program. However, some members of the JV team weren’t happy with being on the sidelines during games and asked to expand the program.

“I knew there would be reservations, but I knew what I had in mind and that it was going to be all right,” Hutcheon said. “I’d never want to put any of them into a position where they would disgrace the academy, me or themselves. Our uniforms are very tasteful. They’re all going to be Air Force officers.”

While earning acceptance to the point where Hutcheon claims “everybody loves them,” members of AFA’s dance team have faced an identity crisis.

“You get interesting questions,” senior Crystal Murray said. “We’re asked all the time if we’re from some high school or if we’re some group that has been invited to perform at the games.”

Quaco said: “There are a lot of factors why people believe we’re not cadets. There’s a long history of stereotyping women in the military. We see some dance teams from other colleges with routines that seem a little risky. We can’t take that risk, and I’m OK with that. My commanding officer is in the crowd watching me, and I don’t want to take that risk.”

Kaitlin Bibeau and Jessica White are sophomore members of the team and want to become pilots, Bibeau to fly helicopters and White to fly bombers.

“Our freshman year is extremely stressful, and being on the dance team was a stress reliever,” Bibeau said. “I was a cheerleader in high school, but when I got here I decided to go with the dance team instead.”

Army and Navy don’t have dance teams, but the walls at Air Force aren’t tumbling down. Suggestions that it might be time for an Air Force dance team calendar brings only smiles.

“I wouldn’t call my college experience normal,” Maddox said. “The dance team gave me a release from the military discipline. I’m from Southern California, and I looked at schools near the beach. If I hadn’t come here, I would have missed out on a great opportunity.”

Four assistant basketball coaches at Division I schools and a top Adidas executive were among 10 people charged Tuesday with crimes including bribery and fraud as part of a wide-ranging federal investigation into corruption in college basketball.

CenturyLink, the telecommunications company that ended its sponsorship agreement with Broncos linebacker Brandon Marshall because of his protests during the national anthem last year, said it will not terminate its agreement with current client Emmanuel Sanders.